Switch



3 Sheets-Sheet, 1

A. ALSAKER ET AL SWITCH Original Filed Nov. 5, 1927 July 21, 1931.

QW mm n@ NM@ Ju1y21,1931. AALSAKR ETAL 1,815,283

SWITCH Original Filed N011. 5, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet, 2

i MMW July 21, 1931.

A. ALsAKER ET AL SWITCH Original Filed Nov. I5, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet, 3

f@ im@ @sm Patented July 21, 1931 ALFRED ALSAKER AND IiEEINICH-SKAU, OF CHICAGO,

seien DELTA STAR ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHCAGCi, ILLINGIS, A CGRPORATCIOE ILLINOS e SWITCH Original application filed November 3, 1927, Serial No. 230,75. `Divided and this application ledl-larci i 27, 1929. Serial No. 350,172.

This application is a division oi' our pending application, Serial No. 230,?59, iiled November 8, 1927. Y

This invention A. relates to n disconnect switches .of the vertical breat type. Such switches, according to present practice, are gang operated and the .movable members or blades are of appreciable length to provide a long break or air gap necessitated by the high voltages commonly used.

ln switches of this type, as the length of the arm or blaue increases, the leverage ei'fect due to friction between the blade and the Contact, or freezing, increases so that appreciable power is required to open the blade which,

opened with a single swinging movement is subjected toY undesirable strain. We have found that this objection can be overcome by providing means whereby the blade is initially subjected to a rocking movement between the contacts so as to be broken away or freed therefrom, in the opening operation, and then withdrawn from the contacts and swing into full open position.

l 'lhis greatly facilitates opening of the switch when the blade is frozen to thereontacts by sleet or ice, or when theeontacts and the blade-have become oxidized to such an extent as to produce appreciable 'rictionto oppose relative movement between the blade and the Contact. V y s l Switches which are similar, in their broader aspects, to our switch are ,disclosed in the copending applications of AlredAlsaker and Eric Nordhein, liled VSeptember 27, 1926, and ifi...y and serially numbered 137,925 and lQiLGOS, respectively. ln the switch o the first mentioned application, the blade is opened by a combined pull and lifting eii'ect exerted at the pivoted endthereorn through the medfum of operating links pivoted at their upper ends to the blade and pivoted'inx terinediate their ends to a support, means being provided for exerting a pulling or pushing effectat the lower end of the links'for swinging' the blade in an are into open or closedy position. There is also a spring conneotion between the links and the blade for returning the blade to its original 1relation to the links afterthe blade has been .Withdrawn from the jaws or contact. By this arl rangement the blade is opened by being lirst pulled out of the contact with a substantially rectilinear movement, and then swung in an are into full openposition, in which position it is held by the spring connection between the links and the blade. ln this form of switch the operating links and ,Y associated parts are subjected to considerable Vstresses and there is no positive connection between the support and the blade for holding the bladeopen. 7

ln'the switch of the second application above identilied, the pivoted end of the blade is connected to thesupport by links pivoted at their upper ends to the blade and at their lower ends to the support. rlhe blade has an upwaroly projecting memberl and suitable operating means is connected to this member above the blade for exerting a. pulling or pushing eifect thereon for opening or closing the blade. T he blade is opened and closed by a combined swinging and plunging movement, and the links carry a locking member which cooperates nith locking means on the support and actuated by the operating means Jor locking the blade in open position. ln this form of switch the `blade is subjected to considerable stress( when ope-ning` it, particularlywlien the blade is of greatlength asin high-tension switches, due to the applicatioirof the opening pull to the blade above and atljaeeut the pivoted endthereof, and considerable attention and care is required in the machining, adqustmentk and timing` ot', the locking means. o Y f @ur switch is l distiiigifshed from the switches above discussed in the manner of operatin'g'the Vblade anl securing it in open position. In addition to tlie main-operating links we provide a second linkageeonnection between the blade'and the support which forms apositive connection therebetween and serves tolo'ck the blade in open position. This linkage connection is in the nature of'a toggle and alter the contacts are separated exerts a. lifting el'lect on the blade at a point .in advance of the pivotal connection thereof to the main operating links, causing the blade lto swing about such connection in itscontinued opening movement into full open position, in which position the blade is disposed substantially vertically.

The toggle is broken in proper direction to lock the blade to the support, in conjunction with the main links, as it reaches full open position thus locking the blade open. This causes the blade to swing as a unit with the operating links and the toggle during closing so that it is closed with a single swinging movement, the toggle being broken in proper' direction to release the blade from the support as it reaches full closed position. A further distinguishing feature of our s' vitch is that the pull exerted in opening the blade is applied directly to the blade and in the plane thereof, avoiding subjecting the blades and links and associated parts to undue stresses.

@ur switch includes means wiereby t-he blade is caused to be swung vertically into full open position after being hrst broken free of the contacts and withdrawn therefrom, this swinging movement of the blade occurring in the plane of the corresponding phase conductor, thus preventing likelihood of interference between phases, as in a three phase system, by opening or closing of the switch blade.

lVhile the switch illustrated is intended and more particularly asa high tension disconnect switch, it is also adapted for other uses such as, in example in a low tension high ampere switch where large areas of Contact are involved with consequent 'resistance to movement of the blade out of the contact. By our invention, we provide means whereby the end of the blade remote from the Contact is raised slightly at the initiation of opening movement of the blade, thus exerting a powerful leverage effect atY the contactY end of the blade which serve to very effectively break the blade free of the contact, so that it may be readily withdrawn therefrom. lt is also possible, by providing suitable arcing horns and increasing` the length of the blade, to use this switch as a load break switch.

Ve also contemplate applying our invention to an underhung switch in a novel manner whereby any undesirable strain, due to dropping of the switch blade after withdrawal of Vthe same from the contact, is avoided. lt will be understood, therefore, that our switch is not necessarily limited to any one particular use and our invention can be applied to switches of various types, the type herein shown being merely illustrative of the practical application of our invention. Further objects and advantages of our invention will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a switch constructed in accordancewith our invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, y

Fig. 3 is a section-taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4l is a section taken substantially on line 1 -4l of Figure 1;

Fig. 5 is a section through the blade supporting member and the adjacent end portion of the blade, parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on line 6 6 of Figure 5, and

Fig. 7 is a section taken substantially on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Our switch is somewhat similar, in its broader aspects, to the switch disclosed in 'he co-pending application of Alfred eilsaker and Eric Nordhem, Serial No. 194,608 liled May 27, 1927, but is distinguished therefrom in that no springs are employed for connecting the blade to the operating means therefor and by the linkage means for lock ing the blade to the main operating links for movement therewith after it has been opened to predetermined extent and during the closing movement of thel blade. The switch structure is mounted on a base 1 of channel construction. rllwo liz-:ed insulators 2 and 3 of knot Tn type are rigidly secured on the base 1 in spaced relation, insulator' 2 supporting the switch blade and associated parts and insulator o supporting the fixed contact and associated parts. A third insulator 4 is mounted on base 1 in spaced relation to insulator 2, this third insulator being also of known construction and mounted for oscillatory movement about a vertical axis in any suitable or known manner, such as that illustrated in the application of Alfred Alsaker for rotary insulator, Serial No. 137,926, filed September 27, 1926. At its lower portion the insulator l is mounted for turning movement through a suitable anti-friction or ball bea ing structure 5, above which is provided a member 6 which is pinned or otherwise suitably secured to a flange 7 at the lower end of a necir 'or stem 8 of the insulator. This neck or stemis held against endwise movement by a through pin 9 secured therein and extending through the member 6 and bearing structure, provided adjacent its lower' end with suitable collars or equivalent elements threaded or otherwise adjustably secured on the lower portion of stem G whereby the ball Vbearings be adjusted to avoid undesirable looseness or play and insure ease of operation of the oscillatory insulator. An operating member 1() is secured on the upper end of the insulator l in a known manner and Vis pinned or otherwise secured thereto for turning movement with the insulator. This operating member extends through a supporting and connecting member 11 which is substantially square` in outline, a. ball bearing structure 12 of suitable type being inter'- posed between the member 11 and the operating member 10, so as to insure ease yof turn- Cil ing of the latter. The member 6 is adapted to receive on its upper portion, above the ball bearing structure 5, an operating arm (not shown) which may be secured thereto in any suitable or well known manner. .In practice, in three phase work, the arms oit the three movable insulators of the three switches are connected to be operated in gang'in a known manner. Y A

A substantially square blade Vsupporting member 18 is securedon the top of insulator 2 and provides a` support for a blade '14 through suitable linkage connections. rllhis blade cooperates with contact jaws 15 (Fie. l) provided at their uppei ends with downvf'ardly converging lips or guide elements 16 for directing the blade between the jawsC lhese jaws may beor" any suitable construction, but we prefer to employ jaws constructed in the manner disclosed in the copending application ol' Alfred Alsaker for self clean ing contacts, Serial No. 22%,@(39, iiled October 5, 1927. As fully set' forth in said copending application, each of the aws is formed trom a suitable length of copper tubing which is liattened under pressure on the end portions of Flexible lead 17 formed from braided cop per. The other ends of these leads are secured in a terminal member 18 whica is also formed from a suitable length of copper tubing, flattened under pressure upon the ends o'i the leads. rl`his terminal member 18 is disposed upon the flattened portion i9@ of a terminal lug 19, secured upon one end of a wire or conductor :20. Tap screws 21 pass through the terminal member 18 and element 19a and thread into a thickened portion 22 ot' an arm 23, 2e secured on the upper end ot insulator 3. Each ofthe jaws is provided with two outwardly projectingl studs 25 which extend through openincs adjacent the upper ends ot supporting leaf springs 26. The lower one of these openings'receives its cooperating stud snuely, the upper opening being` appreciably larger than its cooperating stud, permittingl a certain amount of desirable looseness of the jaws in order that they may properly align themselves4 so as to obtain maximum contact with the Vend portion of blade let. rihe springs 26 are secured, at their lower ends, between a block QT which proj ect-s from the' upper tace of' arm Q3, and clamping plates E28, securingbolts 29 being passed vthrough the plates and block and the plates eing drawn tight against the lower portions yof the springs by nuts 30 threaded .onto the bolts. lretera'bly, the plate is provid-ed, adjacent its outerend, with suit-able lugs 31 which bored 'and threaded for reception et screws SQbyv means ot' which a suitable housing 33 secured to the plateor arm 23 in position to extend about the contact jaws and associated parts, it being notwhich extends from cap member ed, however, that this housing is open at its inner or front side'and at its top.

rhe rblade structure includes two blade elements 3l. The outer ends ot these elements 34 seat in recesses formed in the outer laces of the arms of a U-shaped blade carrying trame or bracket 85, each arm of which is provided with a rearwardly projecting ear 36.

Terminal members 37 aredisposed at the outer or side faces of the blade elements and are forced into close contact therewith by screws 38 passing through the arms of the bracket 35 and through the elements 3aand terminal members 3?, nuts 8l) being threaded onto these-'screws and bearing` against spring washers 4K0 conlined between the nuts and the terminal members. This provides simple and e'licient'means for securing the blade to the frame 85 and also insures proper contact between the terminal elements 37 and the elements ci' the blade. Each of the terminal elements 87 is termed from a suitable length of copper tubing which flattened upon one end of a iiexible lead i1 formed from flat copper braid. A similar terminal element l2 is tiattened upon the other end of each of thc leads.

The members 11 and 13 are connected by spacing` strips 43 formed from pieces of galvanized steel of suitable gauge. Copper contact strips ed extend along` the outer faces of the spacing strips i3 and have their outer ends bent inwardly toward each other as at isla and then outwardly into parallelism to form attaching elements flelowhich are provided with aligned op nings for reception ot' securing screws 45 which pass through the iiatt-ened portion 48a of a terminal lug 46, in which is secured the end ot the wire or conductor 2O in which the switch is interposed. Securing screws 47 extend through the strips 13 and and through the member 1l transverselythereot, this member. being provided with lateral flanges 11al to obtain Contact with the strips i3 throughout the width thereof. Nuts 4:8 are threaded onto the bolts l? and co-operate with spring washers disposed between the heads of the bolts and the nuts, and the contactstrips or terminal bars, to insure proper Contact between the strips, the

spacing strips 48 serving to maintain the members 11 and 18 in properprelation. Securing screws 49 pass through lateral flanges 150i the supporting member 13 and through are thus tightly secured to the supporting. `member13 and proper electrical Contact between the terminal elements l2 and the strips liic 44 is secured. This completes the electrical connection between the cable or conductor 20 and the blade 14 of the switch structure.

An operating arm 53 ofl suitable shape is provided at its oute end with a split collar by means of which it is adjustably clamped about the operating member l0. A disc is secured upon the upper end of member l() by a screw 55 and serves to eliminate possibility of the arm becoming vdetached from this member. The forward or inner end of arm 53 is angularly disposed and is pivote-.ily connected at 5G on a vertical axis to a block 57 which ispivotally connected at 58 on a horizontal axis to a clevis 59. rllhis provides a universal connection between the clevis and the arm. The clevis is provided at its forward portion with a collar 50, which is threaded for reception of the threaded end portion of operating rod 6l, which is held in adjustment in the clevis by a jam nut G0. The inner or forward end of rod Gl is similarly secured to a clevis 63, which is pivoted on a vertical axis at G4 to lug 65 extend ig from a sleeve 66, which is mounted for turning movement on a pin 67 secured through the rearwardly extending ears 36 of the arms of frame 35. The arm is thus connected to thY outer end of the blade for urging the same in opening and closing direction, in accordance with turning of the insulator vhen the insulator is turned in a counter clockwise direction, as considered in 2, the operating rod 6l exerts a pull on the outer end of the blade in a direction away from the fixed contact consisting of the jaws l5, so as to withdraw theV blade from such Contact. A the initiation of this opening movement of the blade, the blade is subjected to a toggle effect, which exerts a powerful leverage at the contact end of the blade so as to break it free of the jaws and permit it to be withdrawn therefrom, as will be explained.

The pin 57 passes through the upper ends ofV a pair of main operating links G3, the lower ends of which are rockably mounted on a pin 69, which is secured through Vthe flanges 50 of supporting member 13 centrally thereof. At their upper ends the links 63 are confined between the ends of sleeve 65 and ears 36 of the blade brackets The lower ends of the links are confined between the end of a sleeve loose on the pin G9 and the flanges 50 of the supporting"member 13. A link 7l extends from sleeve 70 and is pivotally secured by a pin 7 2 to the outer end of a link 73, the upper inner endof which is pivotally secured by a pin 74 to a lug 75 depending` from the blade carrying bracket 35. The link 73 straddles thelink 7l and the lug 75, the side elements of this link being connected by a web element 7 6 which projects rearwardly beyond pin 72. A set screw 77 is threaded through the rearwardly projecting `portion of the web 76 and is secured in adjust-ment by a jam nut 78. This set screw limits relative movement between the links 7l and 73 as the blade approaches full open position. The sleeve 70 is further provided with stopY elements 7 9 and 30 disposed to contact with cap screws 8l having threaded engagement with the support 13, these screws being secured in adjustment byjain nuts 89. The stop elements co-operate with the screws to limit turning movement of sleeve 70 about pin 69 during opening and closing of the switch blade.

When the switch blade is in full closed position the links occupy the positions illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 5. To open the switch blade, the insulator 4 is turned in a counter clockwise direction as considered in Fig. 2, This exerts a pull on the blade endwise thereof away from the-lixed contact through the pin 67 and operating rod 6l and associated parts. As result of this pull at the upper end of the links G8, the main operatinglinks are rocked about the pin 69. At the initiation of this movement, the end of the blade remote from the fixed contact, w iich has been termed the outer end for convenience vof, description, is raised since the links 68 move about pin G9 so as to move the pin 67 backward and forward. It is to be noted that the link 68 and the blade constitute a toggle, the pin G7 being at the joint of this toggle and the inner or Contact end portion of the blade being retained by friction between the jaws of the contact-s, As a result of this construction, the blade acts as alever to exert a powerful leverage effect at the contact of the blade so as to break it free from the contact jaws at the initiation of the opening movement of the blade. After the blade has thus been broken free from the jaws, it can be readily withdrawn therefrom and swung into full open position. This leverage effect exerted by the blade at the contact is of great assistance in opening the blade in cases where the contact jaws at the blade are coated with sleet or ice so as to be frozen together, or in cases where the jaws and the blade are oxidized or are of such area as to present appreiable frictional resistance to openingof the blade. Gontinued pull on the pin 6r results in swinging the blade upwardly through an are into full open position, due to the combined action of the links 68 and the links 7l and 73. lt is to be noted that the links 7l and 73 also constitute a toggle. luring the first part of the opening movement of the blade, after it has been broken free from the fixed contact in the manner described, which movementis substantially rectilinear, link 71 is turned about the pin G9 in a4 counter clockwise direction as considered in Fig. 5 due tothe connection of the inner end of link 73 to lug 75. This movement of the link 7l continues until the element 79 contacts with the co-operating Till screw 8l, which serves to positively limit movement of link 71. Continued pull on pin 67 then causes the blade `to be swung upwardly in an arc into full open position, since the pivot pin 7 2 is held aga-inst further outward movement. The set screw 77 is so adjusted'tliat, as the blade reaches full open position, the upper end of link 7 8, which is connected to the pin 74, passes rearwardly beyond aligned or dead center position, so that the toggle formed by the links 7l and 73 is broken and the line of pressure exerted by the weight of the blade and associated parts passes inside of the axis of pin 69, the extent to which the toggle is broken being limited by contact of the screw 77 with link 7l, as will be clear from Fig. 5 in which the relative positions of the parts when the blade is in full open position is indicated in dotted line. Since the pin 67 is held against forward movement by the operating rod 61 and associated parts, the blade is thus effectively locked in open position. To close the blade, the insulator l is turned in clockwise direction as considered in Fig. 2, subjecting the pin 67 to a push eiiect, which urges the blade inwardly or toward the contact. Since the toggle formed by the links 71 and 7 3 is locked, the blade moves with the linkage structure as a unit and swings inwardly about the pin G9 int-o closed position, entering between the contact jaws by a swinging movement. 1t will thus be seen that the movement of the blade when being closed is different from its movement when being opened in that in opening the blade, it is first subjected to a rocking movement to break it free from the contact and is then moved through an appreciable distance by a substantially rectilinear movement, so as to withdraw it from the contact, after which the blade is swung upwardly into open position. 1n closing the blade, on the contrary, it is moved from full open position into full closed position by a single arcuate swinging movement, which is very effective. As the blade approaches full closed position, element 8O of sleeve 70 contacts with the head of the inner cap screw 8() stopping movement of link 7l about pin (59 and acting, in the slight continued movement of the blade into full closed position, to break the toggle upwardly and outwardly and to raise the set screw 77 out of contact with the link 71 into the position illustrated in Figure 5. This serves to return all parts of the linkage system to their original relative positions, so that the blade can be readily moved into open position in the manner previously described.

1n the form illustrated in Figure l, the switch is shown as mounted in horizontal position. 1n practice, however, this form of switch is more commonly mounted vertically with the sleet hood or housing 33 uppermost,

in which. position the hood. acts to best ad-vr vantage to protect the jaws and the contact portion of the blade from sleet and other foreign materials.

` As above indicated, and as will be understood, various changes in construction and,

arrangement of parts of ourl invention may be resorted towithout departing from the ield and scope of the same, and we intend to include all such variations asfall within the scope of the appended claims, in this applicatien in which the preferred form only of our invention is disclosed.

liihat we claim is:

1. In a switch structure ofthe character described, two spaced insulators, a support on each insulator, one of said insulators being lined and the other insulator being mounted for oscillatory movement, a second fixed insulator, a contact carried by the second lined insulator, a blade cooperating with said contact, connections between the blade and the movable insulator for urging the blade toward andaway from the contact in accordance with movement of said movable insulator, connections between the blade and the support on the first lixed insulator for opening and closing the blade in accordancel with urging thereof away from and towardV the other ends of the contact strips being bent towards and into contact withA one another, and a terminal lug connected tosaid i other ends of the contact strips. Q.. In an electric switch, a stationary supporting insulator, a blade supporting member rigidly mounted on the insulator, said member having a pair of parallel projecting ianges, a pair of links pivotally mounted at one end between said flanges, an operating rod extending between and pivotally connected to end of said links, a blade supporting frame having a pair of ears between which the links extend, and a pin pivotally connecting the supporting frame and the links.

3. In an electric switch, a stationary supporting insulator, a blade supporting member rigidly mounted on the insulator, said member having a pair of parallel projecting flanges, a pair of links pivotally mounted at one end between said flanges, an operating rod extending between and pivotally connected to said links, a blade supporting frame having a` pair of ears between which the links extend, a pin pivotally connecting the supporting frame to the connecting rod and to the links, and ali-additional pair of links between the blade supporting frame and the blade supporting member for rotatns the frame with respect te ill@ ,first mehr' Gli tiened links upon the operationr` of4 those links. n y v 4.0111 an electric switch, a stationary suppcort'inginsulatouja blade supporting member rigidly mounted onthe insulator, said member having a pair of parallel projecting flanges, a blade supporting frame having a pair of projecting ears, the dista-nce between the `ears bein-g substantially the same as the distance between the flanges, a pair of links pivot'a'lly connected at one end to the flanges and at the other end to said cars, a rotary insulator, and an operating rod extending from the vrotary insulator to the point of connection between the links and the ears on the blade supporting trame for operating the switch. v

In an electric switch, a stationary supporting insulator, va blade supporting member rigidly mounted on the insulator, said member having a pair of parallel projecting flanges, a blade ysupporting frame having a pair of projecting ears, the distance between the ears being substantially the same as the distance between the flanges, a pair of links pivotally connected at one end to the flanges 'and at the other end to said ears, a rotary insulator, an operating rod extending from the rotary insulator to the point of connection between the links and the ears on the blade vsupporting frame for operatingthe switch, .a supporting member mounted on said rotary insulator by means including a bearing, spacing strips secured to said supports, Contact strips secured to said spacing strips, a switch blade, means securing the blade to the blade supporting rame,y and 'flexible conductors secured to the blade by said means, the opposite ends of said con'- ductors being secured to the contact strips.

v(i. A switch including a stationary insulator, a rotary insulator, a supporting ineinjber rotatably mounted on the rotatable insulator, a second supporting` member mounted on the Stationary insulator, each of said members having two opposite substantially parallel sides, spacingstrips connecting the corresponding two opposite sides of the, two supporting members whereby the stationary insulator braces theV rotary in'- sulator, Contact strips extending lengthwise 'of the spacing strips, said contact strips beelectrically secured together at both ends, aline terminal secured to the contact strips atl one end thereof, a switch blade mounted on one of the supporting members and connected tothe .opposite end of the Contact stril'is,v and switch actuating means adjacent the other supporting member for actuating the switch.v I j Y j A switch ofthe type wherein a relatively leng blade is pivoted to two links adjacent one Aend thereof, onel of the links being piv otedto swing about a stationary pivot land the other link. being pivote@ t0' Swing about ige-mss 

